Michael McMullen - Senior Systems Web Analyst

If anyone within the Office of Advancement needs a website or a web application, they call Michael McMullen, information systems analyst. “I’m basically a consultant,” he explains. If someone needs a website, he’ll sit down with them and sketch it out. He’ll work with the client until they decide on a design - and then he’ll get to work bringing the idea to life online. McMullen points to the university’s website for online donations as a project he’s particularly proud of. “I had to put together something from scratch,” he says. “It’s very creative work,” he adds.

When he graduated from St. Lawrence College as a computer programmer analyst, McMullen says he knew he wanted to find work in Kingston. He describes deciding to apply at Queen’s as a “shot in the dark.” “A job offer came up and I applied,” he recalls. “The rest is history!”

That was five years ago. Since then, McMullen has continued to develop his skills and take on more complicated project, all the while working as a one-man team. While he admits that keeping on top of everything that needs to be done can be a challenge when he’s the main brain getting everything done, the role does allow him to maintain creative control over all of his projects.

He says that working for the Office of Advancement allows him to work with a variety of clients without the stress of having to chase down work or price things out the way an independent consultant might have to. And while he admits that sometimes switching gears between clients and projects can be challenging, it’s also what makes his job so satisfying. “It’s never the same,” he laughs.

But hands down, McMullen says its the people he works with that make his job so satisfying. “Everyone is easy to get along with and friendly. They’re there if you need a chat. We’re almost a family!” he says. “We even do stuff together outside of work. We’re all pretty close.”

Ultimately, McMullen says he sees himself staying at Queen’s for the foreseeable future. “The relationships and atmosphere that we have is pretty hard to beat!”